The Masks We Wear
by Chardonayye
Summary: Robin and Spoiler, Decided it would be interesting to see how things would go if she wasn't pregnant. I simply think their relationship is adorable... I'm winging it here but things will be getting exciting in the next few chapters...


Stephanie had come here with one purpose and one purpose only; she was bound and determined to study. She absolutely had to pass this test; there was no grey area this time. If she failed she'd fail her entire sophomore year and that would be bad, Very bad… incredibly bad. If she failed her mother would flip, her mom was lenient and busy all the time working two jobs to make ends meet. As long as she got passing marks by the end of the year her mom didn't give a crap what she did. If she began failing then she had a curfew suddenly, restrictions and rules which meant no more patrolling.

She sighed bracing her cheek with her fist, her elbow resting on the cluttered desk under her. It seemed to be her signature stance as of late. Finals were just around the corner and no matter how many times her eyes scanned the sentence she didn't' retain a single word of it. Over and over she read and reread desperate to feel some amount of confidence that she'd be able to pass the test when it came to it but she didn't feel certain at all. She grumbled under her breath bored out of her mind, she had to pass this test; she had to get a job when she was an adult, not to survive but to support her vigilante addiction.

So a proper angle… hmmm… well maybe if she somehow related this to grappling or fighting or something that actually interested her… then again all that really interested her was Robin and fighting… how could she tie these together, how could she make her brain successfully absorb the formula for calculating percentages. Blah blah blah, this was lame, the sun was setting and she had real work to do. She could not make it through even one night without kicking some villain ass and navigating the city from the looming rooftops that made its skyline…

That was it, she couldn't take anymore! She slammed her books closed in rapid succession making people jump and look at her like she was insane but no matter, she didn't care what they thought. She jumped up, leaving a disaster on the table and walked briskly out into the night air with her backpack over one shoulder. Once she found a sufficient spot to change she did so, into her spoiler outfit and stashed her bag away behind a dumpster. She turned her hooded face up to look at the dark blue of the sky as it turned black slowly. She didn't feel right being in costume this early but she couldn't restrain herself so she jumped at a fire escape and flipped up onto the platform, climbing until she found the top of an old rooftop, too slanted for her own comfort. Okay so this was like a…. thirty five degree angle right? See she was learning! Who needed to study? What she needed was hands on, real life experience. She tip toed across the precarious rooftop, leaping onto a more comfortable flat rooftop and crouching beside a chimney both to stay warm and wait for the night too fully take over so she could move more freely.

Tim followed her, turning politely when she changed then finding his own little nook to do the same. Was he sick or something? Was it wrong that he was constantly watching her and making sure she was okay? He watched her when he wasn't busy helping Batman, when he wasn't at school himself, but half the time he was trying to see her, trying to keep an eye out for her. God she was a dangerous girl, constantly getting herself into trouble, causing mischief and doing things a fifteen year old girl really shouldn't be doing. He could, he had Batman for a mentor; he had extensive training, knowledge and equipment! But she had no one but him and he couldn't keep a constant eye on her due to his responsibilities to Batman. He crouched across the rooftop from her, watching her sit there in silence. He wasn't creepy, he was keeping her safe and that was all there was to it, he decided, trying to ease his conscience. He finally stood up and padded across the roof to the chimney, leaning over it and looking down to her. "Boo!" He spat at her with a cocky grin, trying to surprise her. She didn't recognize him until it was too late and popped up punching at him, hitting him square in the jaw then both her hands flew to her mouth, or where her mouth was hidden under her hood, and she scrambled over to him.

It wasn't like she knocked him down or anything or even made him really... move at all... but she felt bad. "Oh I'm sorry." she hissed, dropping her hands .Robin grabbed at his jaw, rubbing it affectionately as if she'd bitch slapped him, not punched him. "Gosh Stephie, aren't you vicious?" He teased her with a smile to show her he was fine. She frowned crossly when he used her first name, or rather a rendition of it; just because he knew her secret identity didn't mean he didn't need to grant her the same professional courtesy of using her vigilante name. "Don't call me that!" she whined, trying to sound more angry then she actually managed to be.

She braced a hand on her hip and cocked her head to the side. Having her face covered all the time had taught her to exaggerate her body language, "Why do you keep sneaking up on me?" she demanded, "Don't you have anything better to do?" she asked trying to sound angry but failing miserably. "Sneaking up on you? Me?" He asked, "Never." He shook his head with a grin, then quickly glanced over his shoulder to make sure no one was around before he reached out and poked her stomach to taunt her, laughing and shrugging. "I'm trying to keep you on guard. It's clearly failing. If you can be sneaked up on like that by me, a friend, imagine how easily an enemy could." He warned with a frown that showed that was a serious lesson and she better absorb every word he said.

She sighed as he lectured her and racked her brain in attempts to stir up a change of topic. "So where's Bossman?" she asked a little wearily since he always embarrassed her in front of her crush and made her feel worthless. He shrugged and walked around to her, sinking down against the chimney so he was warm as well and then tugging on her wrist to bring her down beside him. "Bossman doesn't know I'm here. Consider it my break." He replied suavely yet internally his heart was racing and he was insanely unsure of himself. This had been their third 'meeting' in a month and their fifth month since they'd first met.

Hormones were running high and they both seemed anxious to take the next step in their relationship, which would mean openly admitting they even liked one another, which they'd never gotten around to. Then again things were moving along smoothly when you considered the first time they'd met he'd tackled her and ripped her mask off and she'd retaliated with a swift brick to his temple… "So out patrolling a little early…" Robin commented with a smirk, lowering himself to sit against the chimney with one leg bent and an arm braced on his knee. She shrugged and sat beside him, "I dunno, I guess… I just couldn't concentrate." She replied, "Concentrate on what?" He furrowed his brows, "Trying to study for a test." She replied with a snort, shaking her head. He stretched his arms up over his head and stood up, "I know all about that." He agreed then nodded over towards the bat signal that had just illuminated the already dark sky. "I have to go, you're welcome to come with…" he suggested, knowing full well she tried to avoid Batman at pretty much all costs. Stephanie shook her head and stood up, "That's okay, I'll see you later." She replied then crossed her arms to watch him swing off into the night.


End file.
